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I wouldn't say i've given up (take any post i make as a slightly pessimistic/dark humor kind of way) but yeah the situation is very worrying, especially given how the current "leaders" are just having a very public dick measuring contest (i use the term "leaders" loosely here as they are anything but)

Edit: I misunderstood the article. The Pentagon isn't CALLING for a ground invasion. Rather, they are saying that a ground invasion would be the only way to completely wipe out North Korea's nuclear capabilities.
They made this grim assessment in response to Democratic senators asking about potential casualties in a theoretical conflict between the U.S. and North Korea.

@thevoid99
has a point. North Korea has wanted "reunification" ever since the Korean War concluded, because they still feel that South Korea is a bunch of rebels who need brought to heel and controlled. I for one would be EXTREMELY skeptical of any reunification plan proposed by North Korea.

Well with pessimists like this, we are never gonna move forward, we didn't solve shit by having no hope, that fact they are willing, be it for good or bad, is still a step forward. Honestly, you people need a little bit of optimism

We're not talking about this? I mean, it's still very much in an "I'll believe it when I see it" state for me, but this seems like the kind of thing that kids might be reading about in high school history textbooks some day.

During this momentous period of historical transformation on the Korean Peninsula, reflecting the enduring aspiration of the Korean people for peace, prosperity and unification, President Moon Jae-in of the Republic of Korea and Chairman Kim Jong Un of the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea held an Inter-Korean Summit Meeting at the ‘Peace House’ at Panmunjeom on April 27, 2018.

The two leaders solemnly declared before the 80 million Korean people and the whole world that there will be no more war on the Korean Peninsula and thus a new era of peace has begun.
The two leaders, sharing the firm commitment to bring a swift end to the Cold War relic of longstanding division and confrontation, to boldly approach a new era of national reconciliation, peace and prosperity, and to improve and cultivate inter-Korean relations in a more active manner, declared at this historic site of Panmunjeom as follows:

Such a short period of time ago Trump was threatening to blow up North Korea, and North Korea was threatening to launch nukes at the mainland US, and now suddenly they're going to dismantle their nuclear program?

It's interesting to note that South Korea's leadership credited Trump with bringing everyone to the table to begin with. And about a week ago, when Trump said that NK was willing to completely denuclearize, nearly every major media outlet said he was exaggerating at best and flat out lying at worst. yet, here we are. It's crazy to think that the one thing Trump got right is preventing a potential nuclear war.

The timing if this is likely the result of a few things.
1) Trump's public "we'll nuke you into the stone ages" rhetoric (vs there just being public statements saying that military options are on the table)
2) Trump's willingness to acknowledge Un at all gives him more credibility as a leader; something he desperately craves. No one else was willing to treat him as such.
3) Knowing that they have the knowledge to make nukes means they're happier to act nicer now...because once you have the knowledge, you can always go back and get it done again later.
4) The Olympics (yes, really)
5) Their primary nuclear test site may be on the brink of collapsing and spewing radiation over the peninsula. (Several experts say this is definitely the status of the site, but at least one has claimed otherwise.)

That would not serve him. His country is broke, financially isolated. It’s reportedly been his goal all along to develop a good trade relationship with the U.S., because he HAS TO in order to pull his country out of poverty. China hasn’t been helping him in this regard

South Korea's new president, Moon Jae-in, is a progressive whose campaign largely emphasized making peace with North Korea. He has much more to do with this than Trump does -- a fact that, unfortunately, is going to be completely lost among most of the United States (including those even opposed to Trump).

On the political stage, when you know someone's weak spot is simple flattery, you'd be a fool not to take advantage of that.

You know, I tried to come up with a simple way to possibly argue this to not be the case and came up pretty short. When it comes to the real-world concerns of South Korea, it works out diplomatically to give Trump a "win" here.

Which is SO fucked up and frustrating, but whatever at this point I guess.

Though
@thevoid99
I wouldn't be too worried about him getting a Nobel Peace Prize any time soon.

On the political stage, when you know someone's weak spot is simple flattery, you'd be a fool not to take advantage of that.

I meant it doesn’t “help” that people don’t want to credit Trump. I’m sure that Moon actually believes it to be true, it ain’t just lip service.

CNN was crediting Kim’s sister, and she probably has something to do with it, too; it’s probably a number of things; but, as difficult as it is to admit, Kim allegedly admires guys like Trump, and Trump reached out for a meeting.

@Jinsai
, if Trump can negotiate a way to keep U.S. troops in SK, get NK to denuclearize and open itself for inspection, get China and everyone to agree to a peace agreement (and possibly get Kim to return the Japanese people in NK to Japan), and all of this wouldn’t jeopardize our relationship with Japan, then he’d DESERVE the Nobel. But it ain’t likely to happen. As was pointed out on Meet the Press this morning, Kim’s grandfather snookered Clinton, Kim’s father snookered George W Bush, and there’s no reason to believe this Kim won’t do the same to Trump. Kim has starved thousands of his own people, killed his own family members, and recently murdered an American citizen.